Are We Getting Sea Life High on Opioids?
Believe it or not, mussels in Seattle are testing positive for opioids. Mussels are what are known as “filter feeders” since they absorb food from their surrounding environment. The problem that is surfacing is demonstrating the difference between “pollution” and “climate change,” which so many people assume are the same thing. Mussels absorb also all contaminants from their environment into their tissues. Scientists in Seattle used cages to transplant clean mussels from an aquaculture source to 18 urbanized locations around Puget Sound. After a few months, they recovered the mussels from the urban waters and tested them. In three of [...]
Fatal opioid overdoses increased in 2017 in Cuyahoga County, medical examiner says
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The number of deaths from opioid overdoses continued to increase in 2017 for Cuyahoga County, according to a report from the medical examiner's office. Of a record-breaking 727 fatal drug overdoses in 2017, 492 were from fentanyl, an opioid used as pain medication, and 191 were from carfentanil, a derivative of fentanyl which is about 100 times more potent. The number of fentanyl deaths went up about 23 percent from 2016, and the number of carfentanil deaths more than tripled -- going from 54 to 191. The first detection of carfentanil in Ohio was in 2016. It is commonly [...]
Despair, hope and drugs in America: Is anyone safe?
While America was diverted by homegrown terrorism, economic stress and mass shootings, another scourge quietly moved to the fore. Drug addiction is nothing new. What is new is which part of the population it strikes. All have been hit at different times but right now, it seems to be middle-aged white Americans battling opioids. Opioids come in many forms, including the street drug heroin and garden-variety prescription pills found in bathroom cabinets. The latter have been making headlines and dubbed a gateway to addiction. President Trump declared America is in a state of emergency. But while the battle rages, real [...]
Ask the Doctor – June 26
“Ask the Doctor” June 26, 2018 Dr. James D Johns, MD FAAFP from Little Flower Family Practice in Canton. An open discussion about the health risks that addiction poses, and an open discussion about the topic. Sharing - family group at the Lantern Center for Recovery on Triskett Rd. Cleveland
The Ethics of Addiction – June 12
“The Ethics of Addiction” June 12, 2018 Monica L. Gerrek is an assistant professor in the Department of Bioethics at Case Western Reserve University and the co-director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and the Institute of Burn Ethics at The MetroHealth System. She has a PhD in philosophy and completed the Cleveland Fellowship in Advanced Bioethics. Dr. Gerrek has presented her research nationally and internationally. Her interests include the ethics of addiction, correctional health ethics, food ethics, and international perspectives on health care. There will be time for questions and an open discussion. Sharing - family group at the Lantern Center for Recovery on Triskett Rd. Cleveland
Meeting Minutes from May 22 Event
Greater Than Heroin Attendee Recap May 22, 2018 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM General Points of Discussion: Drug Take Back Day Recap Was a successful event Up 13% from DTBD in October 40,000 +lbs. collected Guest Speakers/Discussion Justin Herdman The numbers are still too high We need to work together to keep moving forward Cautionary good news regarding death statistics: First decrease in deaths we’ve seen in 10 years Ohio had 2nd highest fatal overdoses in U.S. a few years back We are seeing double digit decreases, but still need to be cautious about it. This doesn’t mean we’ve won [...]